For over 100 years, Self-Realization Fellowship has been dedicated to carrying on the spiritual and humanitarian work of its founder, Paramahansa Yogananda. SRF is a worldwide religious organization with international headquarters in Los Angeles. As expressed in the Aims and Ideals formulated by Paramahansa Yogananda, the society seeks to foster a spirit of greater understanding and good will among the diverse peoples and religions of our global family, and to help those of all cultures and nationalities to realize and express more fully in their lives the beauty, nobility, and divinity of the human spirit.

Today, Self-Realization Fellowship has grown to include more than 500 temples and centers around the world and has members in over 175 countries. In India and surrounding countries, Paramahansa Yogananda’s work is known as Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) and is thriving.

In 2017 Brother Chidananda became the current president and spiritual head of Self-Realization Fellowship and Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. He has been a monk of Self-Realization Fellowship for forty years. Almost from the start of his monastic life, he worked closely with Sri Mrinalini Mata, assisting her in the editing and publishing of the works of Paramahansa Yogananda and other SRF publications. Beginning in 2010, after the passing of Sri Daya Mata, Sri Mrinalini Mata assumed the position of president and spiritual head of SRF/YSS. She was personally chosen and trained by Yogananda to help guide the work after his passing. Previous to Mrinalini Mata, Sri Daya Mata served as president and spiritual head. Daya Mata was personally trained by Yogananda for more than twenty years, and became president and spiritual head in 1955 — a position she held until her passing in 2010. 

Paramahansa Yogananda: “Self-realization is the knowing — in body, mind, and soul — that we are one with the omnipresence of God; that we do not have to pray that it come to us, that we are not merely near it at all times, but that God’s omnipresence is our omnipresence; that we are just as much a part of Him now as we ever will be. All we have to do is improve our knowing.”

“EVERYTHING ELSE CAN WAIT, BUT OUR SEARCH FOR GOD CANNOT WAIT.”